Bigfin Catshark

​Little is known of the biology and ecology of this next species, the bigfin catshark (Apristurus platyrhynchus). Also known as the flatnose catshark, they are one of the 32 described species in the Apristurus genus. Both sexes of these catsharks mature at around 60 cm total length (TL), and maximum size was estimated to be about 80 cm TL. 

Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO

A small grey-brown animal, they have a patchy distribution in the Indo-West Pacific in deep water. Sluggish, they are seen on continental slopes and around oceanic ridges here. A purple-brown color, they have no conspicuous markings on their small dorsal fins or larger pectoral fins that almost reach their pelvic fins. The species has a slender body, a long-flattened snout, a very long-based anal fin. #Finfact: they have small bristle-like teeth! What do they eat? We have no idea.

Want another #finfact? Their claspers have no hooks and female produce a single egg per oviduct. The IUCN has assessed them as Data Deficient (DD).

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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